Consumers are more likely to purchase from companies that take a stand on causes that align with their values. Companies have the power to make a difference and effect change.
- 67 percent of consumers recognize that brands are raising awareness about social justice causes
- 62 percent believe brands are educating them on important topics
- 41 percent of consumers say what brands post on social media influences their opinions on public issues
- 61 percent will conduct further research into an issue that a brand promotes.
This doesn’t mean voicing your business’ opinions publicly isn’t a risk: 55 percent of consumers say they’d boycott or discontinue shopping with a brand that supports issues that they don’t believe in themselves. But it does mean a brand should support issues that it’s customers’ identify with and that align with their values. (read more stats https://engageforgood.com/guides/statistics-every-cause-marketer-should-know/)
Businesses have power to become change agents and inspire customers to take action.
Corporate Social Justice is defined as the focus of any initiative or program on the measurable, lived experiences of groups harmed and disadvantaged by society. It is a framework regulated by the trust between a company and its employees, customers, shareholders, and the broader community it touches, with the goal of explicitly doing good by all of them. Most companies play a role in creating and addressing inequities through their supply chains, hiring strategies, and the customer bases they serve — or don’t serve. At a bare minimum, any company which counts Black or LGBTQ consumers among its audience needs to understand the historical context that informs their buying, spending, and engagement.
Statistics show brands that take a stand and support LGBTQ equality are winning with the community as 85% of those surveyed agreed that businesses who support LGBTQ equality are “more important than ever.” Further, 80% agree that companies who support LGBTQ equality “will get more of my business this year.”
Here’s a few examples of how companies are lending their brand strength
Nike: Nike’s BeTrue campaign honors athletes who uplift the LGBTQ community and use their voices for change. Nike also released the message “For once, don’t do it.” The ad encourages people to stand up for social justice and fight for equality, tagging the instagram post with #UntilWeAllWin. Nike took a risk and partnered with Colin Kaepernick who may be the most divisive athlete of his generation. But the message resonated with Nike’s customer-audience-analysis of the campaign and the results showed more support for Nike and Kaepernick than negative sentiment.
Nike recognized that almost two-thirds of their customers are under the age of 35, and that three-quarters of Generation Z and 80 percent of Millennials want brands to take visible social positions. Even though they took a calculated risk Nike knew their customer base and developed a campaign to appeal to these customers.
Apple: While some companies just slap a rainbow on it and call it a day, Apple puts its money where its mouth is for the LGBTQ community. From its openly gay CEO to its yearly special edition Pride Apple Watch bands,
Apple preaches about diversity and inclusivity of the LGBTQ community and backs up those words with their everyday actions.
Ben & Jerry’s: Ben & Jerry’s made a public statement in support of Black Lives Matter, reminding consumers of their commitment to racial justice after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson years ago.
Absolut Vodka: Since the 1980’s, Absolut has supported the LGBTQ community. It is their belief that a colorful, diverse and respectful world is something to strive and work for. Everybody should be able to be exactly who they are.
What does your brand stand for?
If you want to show your support and spread your message to nearly ALL demographics, we are here to help. A big rig wrap is designed to grab attention and remain in your audience’s memory. The opportunity to have individuals see, think and take action about a variety of social issues such as human trafficking, racism, and air pollution is important to raise public support and affect meaningful change.
Click here to see what we are doing.
Big Rig Wraps Transport Truck Advertising (Big Rig Wraps) is the premier provider of large-scale outdoor advertising on trucks up to 53 feet. Through a series of partnerships created with fleet truck owners, graphic designers, and certified installers, we make it possible and affordable for companies to take their advertising on the road, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, even if they don’t own their own fleet. Learn more about Big Rig Wraps here.